Sauna
by Minne-My
Summary: Bernie & Serena in a sauna. What could possibly happen?


Bernie sighed as the suffocating steam once more hit her in the face and clawed its way through her chest. She had a love hate relationship with the sauna. It was some weird thing that made her hate it and enjoy it at the same time. It reduced her aches and pains and invigorated her after. It was relaxing in its own way. But napping in the sauna didn't have the same allure as her own bed, crappy as her mattress was. She felt tired and worn out. Old, even. A gentle two fingered tippy tapping on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts.

'Everything all right Major?'

She hadn't heard someone come in and by that welcome voice, didn't mind at all. She felt comfortable around her co-lead, even in a towel. They were masked by steam. She wanted to surrender to the heat and let it steal into her scars and wrap around her bones to banish her aches.

'Just wish this was Finland so we don't need the towel' she thought out loud. Serena's chuckle made her blush slightly, not that it would have made a difference. She was halfway to lobster and so was Serena.

'I won't tell if you won't' she teased. Bernie smiled and turned her head, unable to hide behind her hair as usual. She stretched and rotated her shoulders to ease her muscles, felt Serena's hands glide over them and slowly lever her down backwards onto her towel clad lap. Serena released her hair from the clip and started stroking, fingers skimming her scalp and slowly running through the strands. It felt wonderful to lay back and have her hair played with. She loosened her towel and when Serena made no comment, undid it and let it fall under her. Knees up, stretched out and feeling cared for, Bernie almost drifted off. She sighed with contentment, feeling like a fat house cat. She was sure she started purring. Something was making that soft rumbling noise anyway.

Serena leaned back on the other arm and continued stroking. She liked this noise that Bernie was emitting. It gave her butterflies. She'd never interacted with anyone in a sauna before. There was something decadent and sensual about the place, something wholesome and naughty at the same time. All that steam and humidity in an enclosed space did something to her sometimes. Not that she'd do anything so crass as to pleasure herself in a public place but it did tend to ramp her up for a session with one of her favourite toys when she got home.

Right now she was focused on Bernie who had indolently muttered something about the heat making her muscles feel better. Serena gave her shoulder a quick probe, she did feel very tense.

'You need proper physio once a week Bernie.'

'I know, I know. But…well, turns out I'm picky about who puts their hands on me.'

'Do you mind if I try? Just to see where the tension is.'

Bernie thought about it. She didn't see why not.

'Ok.'

She slowly sat up and clipped her hair back. Serena admired the graceful column of her neck and spine and moved forward. She slid one leg next to Bernie's and kept herself steady by balancing the other on the beam below. Bernie sat back a little and endured the slow steady kneading as best as she could, resting a hesitant hand on Serena's thigh to steady her. She didn't like massage at the best of times. But as the heat began to get to her, she felt her muscles unfurl and settle like she needed. She tried to keep her breathing under control but Serena told her to make any noise she wanted. So she let her breathy sighs take over. It felt liberating and she lost herself in the moment, realising later that it must have sounded like something else was going on to any outside listener. Serena didn't mind the noises, they were stoking the butterflies that wouldn't go away.

Soon the endless ocean of pain twisted into soothing calm and Bernie breathed easier.

'You ok?'

Serena's voice was soft and it tickled like a breeze across her neck. Bernie shivered.

'That was wonderful. I can't thank you enough.'

Serena pressed a whisper of a kiss on her neck as a reply. So light that Bernie thought she'd imagined it. Only she was sure she hadn't. Serena didn't know why that was her answer. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

'I'll give you a brief session every week if you go to the physio. Commit to it. I'll always make time for you.'

Serena removed her enveloping leg and shifted so that she was sitting comfortably.

Bernie couldn't tell if the heat had been dialled up or she was having a hot flush. She turned around and wiped the perspiration off Serena's cheek and forehead with the pad of her finger.

'I appreciate that so much. I really do feel better.'

Serena held her gaze for longer than usual. Assessing Bernie for signs of recovery, her fingers having knit together the muscles and woven a healing spell over them. Not once did her eyes stray any further down. She'd seen the faint scar on the other side of her neck and the one that bisected Bernie's chest but she'd never seen the small pointed breasts on either side. Hadn't even glanced at them or anything else. Just wanted to search out the heart in Bernie's eyes with her own. The sound of other people approaching made Bernie wrap her towel around her again.

'We'd better go.'

Serena murmured an assent and they got out in good time, holding the door open for the next lot. Serena grumbled about the cold shower but stepped in anyway. Bernie laughed and told her that a dip in the snow was what they really should be doing, according to the Russians. Grabbing an ice cube from the bowl, she ran it across her forehead, her neck, chest, shivering at the icy ghost releasing her into the evening ahead. For a while time had suspended and they were now surprised they had to go home and cook dinner. Serena just stared at her with a hint of a smile, said nothing. Bernie suddenly felt self-conscious, like she'd been looking straight into her mind. Serena had made her feel good about herself for a while, just between the two of them. That contact in the sauna had awakened her senses, made her feel different. She hadn't realised how touch starved she'd been. Had she come across as desperate? Under the harsh florescent lights, she felt her reserve creep back to shield her. She turned and stepped into the shower. As they both lathered up, each one thought about the other.

'Do you want to come round for dinner tonight?'

Bernie looked up and considered it. Their voices floated away and above while their thoughts were hidden.

'I'm a bit tired tonight to be honest.'

'No problem. Go home and switch on the electric blanket and have an early night.'

Bernie had very much appreciated Serena's birthday present. She had wanted to say yes to dinner but she was so tired.

'Tomorrow night? Maybe?'

The hope in her voice made her cringe. She sounded desperate for friendship. Which she was. But it wouldn't do to show it. Her pride wouldn't make herself look eager for Serena's fingers. She'd have to ration it, save it for a day that she really needed to feel her weave her magic.

'Jason will be back, it'll be fish and chip night. How does that sound?'

'Perfect.'

Serena heard the smile in her voice and sighed happily. She couldn't wait for tomorrow. But tonight was reserved for her buzzy little friend. She had never been so aroused in the sauna and needed to work it off. Something had happened between them in there. She'd been edging far too much recently and it was throwing her off kilter. Her co-lead should really not be giving her these vibes. She needed to look at her in the eye tomorrow and forget about those delightful noises she'd heard. There was a side to Bernie she hadn't known existed and she wasn't sure how guilty it would make her feel to inappropriately recall for later on. Since when did someone make an ice cube look sexy? A dose of the mind-numbing _world's strongest man_ would do the trick, she reckoned. Bring on tomorrow. A sentiment silently shared by her friend in the next stall.


End file.
